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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2002 >> How I survive
        
(Message started by: Joncliff on Nov 8^th, 2002, 12:42am)

Title: How I survive
Post by Joncliff on Nov 8^th, 2002, 12:42am

I've been a bad sufferer for 12 years. Here is how I survive:

1) When I feel one coming on or am awakened with one, I take my index and midlle fingers and push hard on the side of my neck, searching for the main artery where you can feel your pulse. I poke around pushing hard until I can constrict the blood flow. It usually takes a few minutes and a lot of pressure to find the right spot. When I do, the pain is reduced by 80% r more! Sometimes a few minutes is all it takes and sometimes I have to keep doing it for a lot longer. It ALWAYS WORKS to lessen the pain. If I begin to get light headed I ease up for a few seconds.

2) I force myself to eat something, anything while keeping my fingers on my neck

I think these two thing work becuase they solve the basic problem of too much blood flowing into that part of the head (in my case my left eye). The fingers on the artery are like turnign the valve on a water pipe slowing the flow. The eating helps because it diverts blood to the stomach to process the food. Just like running or pacing forces more blood to the large muscles in the legs. Which, by the way, was what I did at first until I realized I could simply and quickly cut down the blood flow by pushing on the artery.

Now, I don;t know if I could be doing myself any long term damaged by crushing the artery. I asked my old doctor and I think he said it would be ok but to be careful I didn't knock myself out. But honestly, I have no choice anyway. This is the only thing I have ever found that works.

Antidepresents, elevil, Prozac, etc do help lessen the frequency and severity in my experience. Beta blockers help with the severity but they make you very lethargic and put on weight and become not worth it once I discovered the artery trick.

Good luck to all. Nobody can understand what the pain is like but us and you've go to do what you've got to do to survive!

Title: Re: How I survive
Post by Karla on Nov 8^th, 2002, 9:14pm

I too have tried this and get some relief however I find I get better results when I have my husband do it for me. He can find the spot better than I and that way if I passed out he would be there. It doesn't stop the pain but will reduce it at least to a kip5 for me.

Title: Re: How I survive
Post by NotH20 on Nov 11^th, 2002, 8:28am

Hey Jon - man I thought I was the only person who pinched the side of their neck! ;) I don't do it for too long, but it DEFINITELY eases the pain even if for only a few moments. I don't think I would like to pinch for too long though - too scared of the after affects....but in the throws of a CH I'll do just about anything.

I'm not sure of the eating thing - I'm too busy trying to get rid of the beast to eat anything - surely not in the mood for food.

Good luck to you,
NotH20